Key case



i atenied Nov. 7, 1922.

UNITE ream sraras PATENT orrlcs WILLIAM L. THALER AND HENEY H. GLAZER, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

KEY CASE.

Application filed June 3 county of Kings and State of New York,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Key Cases, of which the tollowing is a specification.

The present invention relates to key-cases 1o inwhich a group of keys is held movably in a key-case so that they maybe applied individually to the key-hole of a lock.

One oi the principal objects sought in the i-1ey-cases heretofore made, is to confine each 1 key-supporting link to movement in a single plane so that the keys would be held from Ibunehing when turned within the case.

The key-links in such construction have been mounted upon a stationary pivot-rod '20 attached at the ends to the case, and the key-links are so jointed upon this pivot-rod that they are constrained to move in a single plane outside of the case, as well as within. and this greatly restricts their freedom of movement in applying a key to a key-hole and turning it in the lock.

The object of the present invention is to overcome this defect, and to eeure entire freedom ot movement for the keys when turned outside ofthe case, thus permitting them to swivel freely in any direction. This greatly promotes the manipulation of the keys in performing their principal function of entering 'thekey-hole and operating the lock.

Thebody of the case consists of a flexible cover and a stifiening member secured to the inner side of the same at the middle portion, leaving the ends of the cover "free to fold over upon the keys;

One of the objects of our invention is to provide such means for stiitening the cover of the case, so that the case when closed is permanently held in fiat condition.

Another object of our invention is to pro when turned out of the case.

Another object is to provide upon the face of such stiffeningmember a suitable space in which advertising matter may be applied.

Another object of our invention is to pro- 65 vide our key-case with an identification num 1921. Serial No. 474,674.

her by which its recovery may be effected in case it is lost. I

The area of the stiffening member, apart from the connections of the key-supporting elements upon its upper edge, is ample to apply the advertising panel and the identi ficatlon mark, thus enabling the stiffening member to perform two functions besides the holding of the keys movably in the case. and keeping the case in flat form.

The foregoing and still further objects will be fully apparent from the following description and accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, in which Fig. 1 represents a front view of our keycase in a closed position; Fig. 2 represents the middle portion of our key-case showing the stiffening member and its construction; Fig. 3 represents another form of the keycase in opened position with the suspending elements in their restrained condition within the case; Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on line 4--4 of Fig. 8; Fig. 5 is a detail view of the upper portion of the keycase, illustrating the movement of a key-attaching element when swung out of the case; and Fig. 6 represents a cross sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5, showing the manner of attaching the hanger to the keycase.

Referring to the drawing, numeral 10 represents the middle portion of the flexible cover of our key-case which cover extends at 11 and 12 into overlapping flaps, pro vided with closing means 13 and 14. {it the middle portion there is provided a stifffening member 15 which is preferably attached in any convenient manner at its upper and lower portions as indicated at 1th to the middle portion 10 of thecover. This member 15 preferably fits over the entire width of the flexible cover, as shown 1n the drawing, and thus preserves the form of the key-case permanently. I i

The stiffening member hasa window-like opening 17, within which is provided a transparent sheet 18, as clearlyshown in Fig. 4t adapted to cover advertising matter which may be inserted between coverp'ortion 10 and the transparent sheet that may be seen in Fig. 2.

It is obvious that the advertising matter may be applied to the stiiiening member in any desired manner. I I

The lower unperforated. port on of the stiffening member may be cuiplo vm'l for embossing therein an identification number. which may be registered and by means o9 which the case may be identified it lost.

At the upper edge of the stilleninn' memher, there are provided a series of notches l9 and adjacent 'ierforutions 20, which are in. alignment with each other so as to provide a guide for the upper portion of the key attaching elements as shown in 5 and 4;.

This key attaching; element is shown in the drawing as a link with a loop 21 at one end to receive the keyhead, and a loop 22 at the other end adapted to engage the notches and adjacent perforations of the stiffening member. The perforations are preferably made rectangular so that their sides may snugly engage the edges of the loop 22.

The accessible side of the link when turned into the case is formed with the usual snap hook to detachably engage the head of the key, and the rear otthe loop 22 is sloped so as to rest .within. the lower end of the perforation 20 and hold the link from lateral movement when in the case.

The perforations are made of such a length that when the link is slightly raised from the stiffening member it clears the lower end of the perforation. and the link is then free to turn and swivel in any direction, which greatly facilitates the application of a key to a key'hole and turning it therein to operate the lock.

WVhen the keys are turned into the case their heads are therefore held in a regular overlapping series. which permits the coverflaps to fold closely about them.

The swiveling of the link is illustrated by the dotted lines shown at opposite sides of the link 21 in Fig. 5, which dotted lines express only two directions in. which the link and its attached key may be turned; but all other directions are equally possible with the construction of link described.

VVhen the keys. are attached and loops 21. are swung into the case, the keys automatically flatten themselves against the stiffening member, whereby the bunching of the keys is effectively prevented. By swinging the key attaching member out of the case and. into the'position shown in Fig. 5 in solid lines, the key and the key-attaching member may be swiveled in. any convenient posi tion when the key is being put into the look.

When the key-attaching elements are swung into the case, their then upper portions are substantially flush with the upper edged the stiffening member 15. Atthe middle and upper portion of the stiffening member 15 there is provided a slot 23 for receiving a-ca-se hanger. indicated at 24 in Figs. 5 and 6, bylmeans of which the case may be suspended within a pocket or to. a

belt in meonvenientimanner.

I in the drawing there is shown a preferred. form of our stiffening member. It i'night be stated. however, that various changes may be made therein without departing: from the broad scope of our invention. Thus the shape of the stiffening member may vary, the window -likc opening may be shifted or take any desired shape or form, or may be in itself of an ornamental nature.

As we intend to use our device mostly for an advertising article, such changes will be unavoidable, and we therefore reserve for ourselves the right to make such changes and improvements arising from the various wants of the purchaser.

It will be observed in Fig. 2 that the extension of the stiffening member 15 across the flexible cover affords a considerable space or area for advertising and identification inscriptions below the upper portion of the stiffening member to which portion the keylinks are connected.

In the drawing, a portion of this area is occupied by the panel or window-like opening 17. and the face of the stiffening member is also provided with the inscription Identification Number 35632.

The provision of such identification number upon the stiffening member enables the latter to perform another function in addition to the mere holding of the keys in the case, and the connection of the advertising member with the stiffening member performs still another function in inducing dealers in various articles to make a gift of the key-case because of its bearing the advertising matter, and inducing the receiver to accept the case because of its hearing the identification number.

The stiffening member thus serves three separate functions, first, the carrying of the key-links and keys in the case; second, the display of advertising matter; and third, the display of a registration mark; which func tions make the constructive feature of the key-case very desirable for the advertiser,

and very useful to the'one who receives the case.

It will be noticed. that our invention differs from others in. having notches and pertorations in its stiffening plate, and keylinks so fitted to them as to form individual loose hinged couplings therewith. and each link adapted to swivel freely in. an direction when turned out of the case. Xnykey in the case may therefore when turned out of the case be handled without any interference from the others, because all the keys fall loosely away from the otherswhenuany one of them is grasped to be used in a lock.

Having thus set forth the nature of the in vention what is claimed herein:is:

1. A key-case formed with a flexible cover havinga stiffening member attachedothereto and provided with notches in its upper edge perforations at the upper end of the stiffen-- ing member adapted to receive the key-supporting elements, and an identification inscription applied to said stiffening member.

3. A key-case having a flexible cover, a flat stiffening member permanently attached to the said cover and adapted to be embraced by the free ends of the said cover, the said member having a plurality of notches and perforations at the upper end of the stifiening member provided with key-supporting elements, and the stiffening member being provided with an identification mark and with an advertising panel.

l. A key-case, comprising in combination, a flexible cover, a stiffening member attached thereto at about the middle portion of said cover a plurality of notches and perforations, aligned with each other, provided at one end of said member and adapted to receive and control the movement of a plurality of key suspending elements engaging said notches and perforations, when said elements are swung into the case, a windowlike opening provided in the body of said stifl'ening member, a transparent sheet also attached to said cover and disposed beneath said opening, and means in said member above the opening for receiving a case hanger.

5, In a key case, a stiffening member, a plurality of inwardly swingable key-supporting elements attached to said member and constructed to swivel freely when swung out of the ease and restrained from lateral movement when swung into the case, a slot provided at one end of said stifi'ening memher for rcceiving a case hanger, a windowlikc opening in said member, a transparent sheet beneath said opening, said sheet and said stiffening member ermanently attached at substantially their four corners to the middle portion of the key-case cover so as to permit the insertion of advertising or similar matter between the case cover and said transparent sheet, and made visible through said window-like opening.

6. In a key-case, a flexible cover, a fiat stiffening member provided with an opening, a transparent sheet beneath said opening, said stiffening member and said transparent sheet permanently attached to the middle of said cover and adapted to be embraced by the free ends of said covers, a plurality of notches and perforations provided at one end of said member, each notch and adacent perforation being in alignment and adapted to receive a key-supporting element, and a slot formed at about the middle of the notched and perforated end of said stiffening member for receiving a case hanger.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 27 th day of May, A. D. 1921.

WVILLIAM L. THALER. HENRY H. GLAZER. 

